Belgium Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in belgium, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Defense
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Overview

Belgium, though a small country with historically modest defense spending, has a dynamic aerospace and defense industry that offers a range of opportunities for U.S. suppliers and technology partners. In 2025, the Belgian government committed to raising defense expenditures to 2 percent of GDP (approximately $12 billion), aligning with NATO’s collective target and reversing decades of underinvestment. Spending is concentrated on personnel, modernization of equipment and munitions, infrastructure, and cybersecurity, with sustained growth planned through 2033.

Belgium maintains a robust MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) ecosystem serving both military and civil aviation, anchored by SABENA Engineering and SABCA. Belgian firms have supported F-16 depot-level maintenance for more than three decades under the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) program and now participate in F-35 component production and sustainment. Belgium also remains a global leader in small-arms manufacturing through FN Herstal (part of the FN Browning Group).

Opportunities

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has reignited political and public debate over the consequences of Belgium’s decades-long underinvestment in defense. The most visible symbol of that decline came in 2014, when the Ministry of Defense retired its last Leopard 1 tanks without replacement—leaving Belgium with no main battle tanks in its inventory. While the modern battlefield has exposed a crisis of relevance for traditional heavy armor, given the proliferation of drones, loitering munitions, and precision fires, the total absence of an armored capability remains strategically telling. It underscores the depth of Belgium’s post-Cold War reductions and highlights capability gaps that the government is now working urgently to close.

Beyond armor, Belgium faces critical shortfalls across multiple domains. The country currently lacks a national ground-based air and missile defense system, though it has announced plans to acquire NASAMS batteries in cooperation with the Netherlands. The NH90 tactical transport helicopter fleet is being phased out due to high maintenance costs and low readiness rates, creating a temporary gap in tactical air mobility. Belgium’s naval forces are also in transition, awaiting delivery of new anti-submarine warfare frigates and mine-countermeasure vessels being co-developed with the Netherlands later this decade.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense is seeking to increase active-duty personnel from 25,000 to 29,000 by 2030, while lowering the average age of the force and expanding recruitment of specialized civilian staff. The creation of a dedicated Cyber Command—fully operational in 2024—adds a fifth military component and reflects Belgium’s recognition that digital resilience, space assets, and information dominance are now central to modern defense.

These initiatives fall under the Defense Ministry’s “STAR” Plan (Security, Technology, Ambition, and Resilience), which remains the overarching modernization framework. In 2025, the government adopted a complementary Strategic Vision 2025, which extends rather than replaces the STAR Plan. This new strategic initiative translates STAR’s priorities into concrete capability programs and budget allocations totaling EUR34 billion (≈ US $39 billion) through 2034. Key elements include:
•    Acquisition of NASAMS air- and missile-defense systems to restore national GBAD capacity.
•    Procurement of additional F-35 aircraft to strengthen Belgium’s NATO contribution.
•    Expansion of the “CaMo” land-forces program with modern armored and support vehicles.
•    A third frigate to augment Belgium’s naval contribution under the joint program with the Netherlands.
•    New investments in unmanned systems, cyber, space, and ISR capabilities.
•    Increased funding for logistics, training, and sustainability infrastructure, including energy-efficient bases.
 

Together, the STAR Plan and Strategic Vision 2025 represent the most comprehensive defense build-up in Belgium in more than a generation. They are creating new opportunities for U.S. firms in air and missile defense, cybersecurity, unmanned systems, logistics and sustainment, training and simulation, and green infrastructure—areas where American companies are recognized as trusted and proven partners.

Leading Sub-sectors

Belgium’s defense modernization program is generating opportunities across several priority areas. In addition to ammunition replenishment and air- and missile-defense systems, the cybersecurity and digital-resilience sector offer some of the most promising prospects for U.S. firms. The establishment of a dedicated Cyber Command as Belgium’s fifth military component—alongside land, air, naval, and medical forces—has created sustained demand for secure communications networks, data-protection solutions, cyber-range training, and threat-monitoring technologies.

The pandemic-era expansion of telework and network decentralization accelerated vulnerabilities across both government and defense supply chains, resulting in a marked increase in cyber incidents. Belgium is therefore investing heavily in cyber defense, critical-infrastructure protection, and secure cloud and satellite-based systems, areas in which U.S. providers have demonstrated strong technical leadership.

Doing Business in the Belgian Defense Equipment Sector

Despite occasional frustrations with U.S. export controls (ITAR), the United States remains one of Belgium’s most trusted defense partners and suppliers. Belgian defense authorities and industry continue to value U.S.-made systems—particularly those in service with the U.S. Department of Defense—as reliable, high-quality, and combat-proven. Belgium also maintains close coordination with the Netherlands, with which it shares major programs in naval shipbuilding, air defense, and land-force modernization.

Alongside U.S. suppliers, Belgium sources extensively from European Union partners to maintain balance within the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and the European Defense Fund (EDF) framework. Procurement decisions increasingly emphasize NATO interoperability, European industrial participation, and lifecycle sustainability.

Market Entry Considerations

Small and medium-sized U.S. companies are strongly advised to retain local representation or a Belgian partner to navigate procurement procedures, language requirements, and EU regulatory frameworks. The U.S. Commercial Service in Brussels can assist firms with identifying qualified partners, understanding market conditions, and exploring opportunities created by Belgium’s ongoing modernization under the STAR Plan and the Strategic Vision 2025 led by Defense Minister Theo Francken.

Procurement Channels

•    Belgium’s federal e-Procurement platform is operated by the FPS BOSA (Federal Public Service Policy and Support), while individual defense tenders are issued by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate-General Material Resources (DGMR) through that system.
•    The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) manages additional tenders on behalf of Belgium and other allies through the NSPA e-Portal.
•    Official announcements and updates are available through @BelgiumDefence on X (formerly Twitter) and the Ministry of Defense website.

Resources 

Key Players:
•    Ministry of Defense (MOD)
•    FN Browning Group / FN Herstal – Headquartered in Herstal (Liège Province), this Walloon government-owned group is the parent company of FN Herstal and Browning International. Formerly known as Herstal Group, it was renamed FN Browning Group SA/NV in 2024. The company is a global leader in small-arms production, supplying military, law-enforcement, and civilian markets. Its portfolio includes pistols, rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, and air- and land-mounted weapon systems. FN Herstal is recognized for its world-class R&D and long-standing partnerships with NATO forces.
•    Orizio Group – An international aerospace and defense group headquartered in Belgium, comprising over 10 industrial sites and permanent operations across more than 15 countries. Orizio owns SABENA Engineering (civil and military MRO) and SABCA, which provides structural assemblies and MRO services for both military and commercial aircraft. SABCA leads the Belgian consortium producing F-35 tail assemblies and participates in multiple European defense-industrial programs.
•    BMT Aerospace – A Belgian-based company specializing in precision gears, actuators, and transmission systems for aerospace applications, serving both OEM and Tier-1 suppliers in Europe and North America.
•    ASCO Industries – A leading supplier of airframe components and mechanical assemblies for both military and civil aircraft, including actuation and wing-mechanism systems for the F-35 program.
•    PBEC (Patria Belgian Engine Center) – A center of excellence for Pratt & Whitney F100-PW engines, supporting 15 air forces worldwide, including the U.S. Air Force. PBEC provides engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul under the Patria Group.
•    Skywin Wallonia – The aerospace and defense cluster of Wallonia, grouping companies, research centers, and universities to promote collaborative R&D and industrial innovation projects across aviation, space, and defense sectors.
•    FLAG (Flemish Aerospace Group) – The Flanders-based aerospace cluster, representing enterprises active in aviation, space, and defense manufacturing and services, with a focus on exports, supply-chain partnerships, and cross-border collaboration.
•    BMSO (Belgian Military Supply Office) – Located in Hyattsville, Maryland, the BMSO manages Belgium’s Ministry of Defense procurement activities in North America, serving as the MOD’s acquisition liaison office for U.S.-based contracts and suppliers.
•    NSPA (NATO Support and Procurement Agency) – The logistics and procurement arm of NATO, headquartered in Capellen, Luxembourg. NSPA procures defense equipment, sustainment services, and infrastructure on behalf of NATO member nations, including Belgium.
 

Events: 
•    Eurosatory – Paris, France | June 15–19, 2026
•    Farnborough Air Show – Farnborough, United Kingdom | July 20–24, 2026
•    NATO EDGE – İzmir, Türkiye | November 17–19, 2026
•    DSEI – London, United Kingdom | September 7–10, 2027 
•    Paris Air Show – Le Bourget, France | June 14–20, 2027

For more information or assistance please contact the U.S. Commercial Service office close to you to discuss your international projects for Belgium. 

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